


Take Care of Her

by hope_s



Category: Ocean's 8 (2018)
Genre: Best Friends, Debbie Pov, Established Relationship, F/F, Friendship, Heist, Lou POV, OTP +1, OTP - Loubbie, Pre-Canon, Tammy POV, Threesome - F/F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-16 03:14:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21264140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hope_s/pseuds/hope_s
Summary: Martha’s Vineyard – Summer 2005Tammy hasn’t thought about it before tonight, but when Lou shows up late for the rendezvous after a simple job, Tammy takes a risk, knowing Debbie needs some guidance in showing Lou that she cares. It’s not the first time that Debbie and Lou have welcomed a third person into their bed, but this time it’s Tammy – their friend and the best fence they’ve ever known. It feels important, feels right. And for Lou, it might just be a catalyst for a wishful future.





	1. The Risk

“Ready to go,” Tammy muttered into thin air, absentmindedly adjusting her earring and her hidden microphone at the same time. She heard Lou clear her throat in acknowledgment and listened to Debbie exhale a long sigh.

“Alright, ladies,” Debbie said through the earpiece, “let’s do this. Twenty minutes left, and at least twenty-grand to go.”

It was a small job compared to the ones they had run recently, but sometimes it was nice to go back to basics. There was something about working as a trio that was always more satisfying than bringing in a bunch of people who they didn’t know. Finding other women in crime had never been easy, and most of the people they had brought in had been smarmy men who had hit on at least one of them. Danny had offered members of his team, but Debbie was too proud to accept his help, and Tammy didn’t blame her. It was better like this: just the three of them against the world – or in this case, against a Martha’s Vineyard wedding cruise line that raked in a billion dollars per year.

Each weekend evening – and some weekdays in the summer if you and your couple hundred exorbitantly rich friends wanted a discount – the boats set out from the harbor, made their way out into the Atlantic in a wide circle, and then returned to the dock at midnight to unload a cargo of half-inebriated, half-seasick guests, a usually-overwhelmed and often-regretful wedding party, and a band that probably only got paid a few hundred dollars for the whole ordeal. It was the very epitome of waste and of glamour that faded as soon as you looked beneath the surface. The food was only good if you told yourself it _had _to be good since you paid so much for it, the tables were inevitably subject to the high, northeastern surf, and if you thought drunk uncles were bad at the Park Plaza, they were even worse on a ship where you couldn’t call a cab to come get them. Tammy had been working undercover for a week now, ever since she and Debbie and Lou had driven up here to run the job.

Because inebriated wedding guests weren’t the _only _thing that left those ships every night. Each of the company’s three miniature cruise liners had two vaults: one behind the bar full of cash, and one in the belly of the ship that was used to hold the valuables of some paranoid guests. The vaults were removed every night along with the wedding parties. The cash vault was placed in an unmarked black van on the pier and immediately exchanged for a new box with a different combination. The cash vault was then driven to a bank nearby where it was emptied, and that box was put back into the truck to be used the following night. The other vault was brought to the company office just off the pier, where guests could collect their valuables as they left the ship. If they forgot, which they often did because drunk rich people were a very specific breed of stupid, they could return the next morning to claim their items. Tammy had the system memorized within two days, and Debbie had needed even less time to develop a scheme.

“We chose a good night for it,” Lou muttered through her microphone. “The father of the bride put ten-grand in here before we even left the harbor.”

“We have enough counterfeit for that, Tim-Tam?” Debbie asked.

Tammy poured a gin and tonic for yet another drunk uncle and rolled her eyes. “You know we do,” she said as she turned around, trusting to the deafening babble of voices around the bar to drown out her words.

“Only because you’re so good at what you do,” Debbie praised.

Lou made a gagging sound. “_Deborah_…” she warned.

Tammy smiled to herself. She was used to Debbie’s flirting, used to Lou’s chivalry. Debbie and Lou were…well, Tammy wasn’t sure if there was a word for it. They lived together, slept together, _were _together, but they didn’t fit into under any sort of label. They weren’t affectionate in public, but they existed in the same sphere, as if you couldn’t have one without the other. Tammy had known Debbie before Lou came into the picture, but as soon as Lou arrived on the scene, it was as though Debbie – in all her Ocean glory – seemed to glow a little brighter. Looking through the crowd, Tammy caught a glimpse of Debbie on the other side of the dance floor, sipping a glass of champagne and looking like she _belonged_. Tammy caught her eye and winked. She could have sworn she saw Debbie blush, but it might have been a trick of the light. Tammy went back to her list of drink orders.

She had always loved her, and she always would. Not in a sexual way, at least not most of the time. Debbie made her feel warm inside in a way that no one else ever had. Debbie took Tammy seriously, admitted that Tammy was just as brilliant as she was, but with a conscience, a little more common sense, and a lack of obsessive perfectionism. Tammy was fiercely protective of her, and Debbie, in turn, made Tammy feel safe. As far as Tammy could tell, Debbie and Lou were an inevitability, whereas she and Debbie were a choice. Despite the solidity of the single unit that was Debbie and Lou, Tammy never felt like a third wheel. They were as much a home to her as anything ever had been.

“You got the combo, Tim-Tam?” Lou said down the line.

“Yup. All set,” Tammy replied through her teeth as she pushed a glass of chardonnay across the bar to a woman in a red dress whose lipstick reminded her of a shade Lou had worn for a disguise a few months ago. It had been a good look, highlighting her expressive mouth and sharp features. Tammy smiled reminiscently and let her eyes travel back to Debbie, who caught her gaze and blew her a kiss. It was Tammy’s turn to blush, an electric wave of heat running all the way down to her toes. Watching Debbie, thinking of Lou, it got to be too much sometimes. They were _so _beautiful, _so _perfect in their synchronicity, and sometimes Tammy wondered if she would ever have anything that came close to that kind of connection. She was a naturally research-oriented person, felt privileged to see what Debbie and Lou had up close, but she wanted to crack the code of it, to understand completely what _they _were.

The lights flashed in the room and the sound system cut out for a moment to allow for an announcement over the P.A. system. “We will be docking in ten minutes. Please be sure to collect all personal belongings. Crystal Call Cruise Lines wishes you a pleasant evening.”

Tammy caught a smirk on Debbie’s face through the corner of her eye as she took a few final drink orders and casually slid into the role of taking care of the bar’s money for the evening. By the time the boat put anchor at the pier, Tammy had the vault ready for its nightly journey to the bank. The only difference was that this time, every dollar inside the metal box was one hundred percent fake, and the really money was safely stored in the trash can that Tammy was assigned to roll off the boat. It was almost too easy. The actual garbage went into the dumpsters. The money went into Debbie’s stolen black Yaris, which was parked nearby. Tammy leaned back against the car door and fished her cigarettes out of her pocket. She blew smoke up to the streetlamps above her and took a deep breath of briny sea air.

“You make a damn sexy bartender, you know that?” Tammy turned to see Debbie walking towards her, Louboutin stilettos dangling by the heels from her right hand, bare feet making no sound on the asphalt. She stepped close to Tammy and kissed her on the cheek; Tammy could feel the stain of lipstick she left behind burning her skin.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” Tammy said, giving Debbie a sidelong look. “Ready to get out of here?”

“Yeah, we’ve got seventeen minutes until the rendezvous back at the house,” Debbie said, gesturing down the coast towards the beach house they had conned their way into for their month-long stay.

Tammy nodded. “I’ll drive,” she said, holding up Debbie’s keys, which she had slipped out of Debbie’s purse when Debbie kissed her cheek.

Debbie grinned, eyes twinkling even under the orange light of the streetlamps. “I’ve taught you well.”

“Fuck off, Ocean,” Tammy said, stamping her cigarette butt to ash on the asphalt and sliding into the driver’s seat. “You didn’t teach me shit. You would never have looked twice at me if I couldn’t fool you before we even met.”

Debbie shrugged noncommittally, and Tammy took it as a sign of begrudged agreement. She turned on the car and waited for Debbie to climb into the passenger seat. As soon as her door slammed, Tammy pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road. Debbie settled back in the passenger seat and extended one arm to squeeze Tammy’s thigh. Tammy jumped at the sensation and batted her hand away.

“Keep your hands to yourself,” she snapped, though she also tipped Debbie a wink.

Debbie snorted. “You practicing that voice for when you have kids, Tim-Tam?” she asked.

Tammy smiled softly, aware that Debbie was joking but unable to brush off the comment all the same. “Maybe,” she said finally. Debbie fell silent, and Tammy couldn’t remember the last time she had wrought Debbie Ocean speechless. She kept expecting Debbie to say something sarcastic, but she didn’t. Instead, her hand found Tammy’s shoulder and slipped down her arm until she intertwined their fingers. Tammy glanced at her and then back at the road. Debbie’s eyes were closed, her head tilted back against the headrest, but Tammy could tell by the way her thumb played over her knuckles that Debbie was awake. She thought about speaking, about saying more, about trying to explain herself. But Debbie hadn’t asked for an explanation, and Tammy didn’t want to break the comfortable silence between them.

The cottage where they were staying actually belonged to a wealthy couple from Boston who believed that the current renters had fallen through for the month of July. They had refunded the money straight back into Tammy’s account, so they were staying here for free, though Debbie had expressed her disappointment that they hadn’t actually made a net profit on their stay. Lou had rolled her eyes at that, and Tammy had given her an incredulous look. Debbie had smirked at their expressions and gone to sit on the roof to finish her plan. The house was dark when they reached it; Lou was due to return ten and a half minutes after they were. Tammy and Debbie closed the shades and spread the cash on the kitchen table, counting the wads of notes and listening to nothing but the crashing of waves on the beach. Eventually, Tammy looked at her watch and did a double take. Lou was more than fifteen minutes late.

“Deb…” she said.

“I know,” Debbie said shortly, not looking up from her pile of money.

Tammy’s pulse raced. Lou was meticulous. She never missed a deadline. “_Deb_…” Tammy said again, a minute later.

Debbie looked up, and Tammy caught a flash of fear in her eyes that was quickly hidden behind a smirk. “What?”

“She’s never been this late,” Tammy said.

Debbie twitched her shoulders into something that might have been a shrug. “She’ll be okay. She’s probably just covering our asses.”

Tammy gave her a thin-lipped, unconvinced smile and went back to the pile in front of her, but she kept losing track of the numbers as the minutes ticked by. There was still no sign of Lou. Tammy didn’t know Lou nearly as well as she knew Debbie, but she had grown to care for her over the years they had worked together. Lou was like no one Tammy had ever met. She didn’t walk, she sauntered and swaggered. She made smoking cigarettes and chewing gum so sexy that either activity in the hands of Lou Miller could probably be considered some sort of foreplay. She made Tammy a little weak at the knees, and at first Tammy had explored those feelings with trepidation and incredulity. Over time, Tammy had realized that Lou made most people feel that way. She transcended gender and sexuality utterly and completely, and Tammy had seen straight women fall to her charms on more than one occasion. No one was immune, so she had stopped worrying about her own feelings and just accepted the fact that Lou was…well, she was really something else. The idea that Lou might have been caught made Tammy’s entire soul turn over uncomfortably. And Debbie…

Tammy watched her, giving up on counting. It took an experienced eye to notice any change in Debbie Ocean’s demeanor. After all, she was a master of deception. Even Tammy, who fancied herself the closest thing there was to a Debbie Ocean expert, took a good thirty seconds to notice the signs. First, she noted a tension in Debbie’s shoulders and a slight twitch in one of the muscles in her neck. Next, she registered that Debbie twice in a row wrote down the wrong number and had to erase it and recount the wad of money in front of her. With anyone else, that would be a reasonable amount of human error, but Debbie wasn’t prone to _humanity_ of any description. Alert now to Debbie’s every movement, Tammy recognized a tightening in her jaw. Unlike most people, Debbie didn’t have a tell when she was lying. She _did, _however, have a tell when she was sincere. There was a muscle in her jaw that strained in an almost imperceptible way when she was being genuine. Tammy noticed the same reaction now and knew that Debbie was reeling in Lou’s absence.

It struck Tammy suddenly that Debbie loved Lou. She was quite sure that Debbie didn’t know that herself, but Tammy was certain. For the first time since meeting Debbie eleven years ago, she knew that even Debbie Ocean wasn’t immune to heartache. The realization steadied her, gave her a modicum of strength in this moment of anxiety. She got up from her chair and walked over to Debbie. Debbie watched her with an impassive expression, barely blinking. Tammy wrapped her arms around Debbie’s shoulders without meeting her eyes. It took several long ticks of the clock on the mantlepiece before Tammy noticed a change. Debbie’s hands fell to her lap, away from the money on the table, and her eyes fluttered closed. If Tammy hadn’t known better, she would have thought she was praying.

All at once, there was a familiar rumble of a motorcycle down the road, and Tammy exhaled. Lou was okay, and even if she hadn’t managed her end of the job, they had plenty of money spread out on the table. The most important thing was that all three of them were in the clear. Debbie didn’t stir as Tammy released her grip on her shoulders. She just sat there. For a brief moment, Tammy rested her hand against Debbie’s head, and then she walked away, back to her seat at the table. She picked up her wad of money and began to count once more. Across the table, Debbie did the same.

The headlights of Lou’s motorcycle cast flickering shadows on the walls through the shades as she pulled into the gravel driveway with a crunch of tires. Tammy heard her rustle around the bike for a moment, collecting items and locking up, then there was a steady tread of footsteps on the porch and the sound of the door opening. She looked up to see Lou standing on the threshold, platinum blonde hair disheveled from her helmet and a large black bag under her arm.

“Sorry I’m late,” she said casually, letting the bag slip to the floor with a thud and bending over to unlace her boots. “Some cops pulled a guy over for speeding in the middle of my route, so I had to find a different way back here. I got everything.” She gestured to the bag on the floor. “Seems like we did well?” Her eyes traveled over the money on the table.

Tammy nodded as she finished counting the wad in her hand. She waited for Debbie to speak, but there was nothing but silence from the other side of the table. Tammy looked up and watched Debbie closely. Debbie was staring at Lou with a thousand thoughts passing behind her eyes. Tammy saw a confused expression spread across Lou’s features as she met Debbie’s gaze.

“Debs?” Lou said finally, in a soft, intimate tone that made Tammy shiver. Debbie didn’t speak. Tammy glared at her.

“We were worried about you,” Tammy said finally. “Glad you’re okay.”

“Yeah,” Lou said, still looking at Debbie with concern. “I’m sorry I couldn’t call, but I was already driving. I…” She trailed off and then sucked her lips into her mouth pensively. “Debbie, are you…?”

Tammy’s heart was beating fast in her chest once more. She had a sudden urge to slap Debbie back to reality, but she knew that wouldn’t end well. She looked up at Lou, thinking fast and coming to a decision. Lou looked less intimidating – more _believable_ – when she was confused. She was still tall – a good three inches taller than Tammy, and even taller in her heeled boots – but Tammy decided she wasn’t scared of her. It was only _Lou_, after all. Lou, who oozed confidence and clarity. Lou, who was the epitome of both class and sex. _Lou_, who needed Debbie to say something or _do _something, who was staring at her at a loss for words. Tammy pushed her chair back from the table and stepped into Lou’s space. She slid a hand up Lou’s arm to her neck and threaded her fingers into her hair. Lou’s eyes moved slowly from Debbie to Tammy, looking at her with curiosity and confusion in her bright blue eyes. Tammy didn’t let herself reconsider.

“We were worried about you,” Tammy said again, scratching lightly at the back of Lou’s neck and bringing her other hand to Lou’s waist. “_Debbie _was worried about you.” She saw a flicker of understanding in Lou’s eyes just as she pressed gently on the back of Lou’s neck, bringing Lou’s lips close to her own. She brushed her lips to Lou’s softly, almost chastely, testing her luck before increasing the pressure and kissing her properly, feeling Lou’s mouth open in surprise. Tammy didn’t deepen the kiss, nor did she pull away. Instead she stroked Lou’s hair, waiting for the inevitable. After at least a minute, she heard Debbie’s chair slide across the linoleum floor. She felt Debbie step close to them, and Tammy released her hand from Lou’s waist and reached for Debbie instead, tugging her close until Debbie’s nose bumped her cheek. Debbie’s lips settled over the lipstick imprint she had made earlier on Tammy’s cheek, and Tammy smiled against Lou’s mouth before pulling herself away from Lou’s lips. Before Lou could express any of her evident surprise, Debbie’s lips took over from Tammy’s. Tammy rested her head on Debbie’s shoulder as Debbie kissed Lou, watching Debbie put all the words that Tammy knew she couldn’t say into the pressure of her lips and the deepening of the kiss. A pleasant, electric tension hung in the air as Lou broke the kiss at last and leaned her forehead into Debbie’s.

“I’m sorry,” Lou muttered, voice cracking ever so slightly.

“It’s not your fault, baby,” Debbie murmured. Tammy looked at her in some surprise. She had never heard that particular tone before, and she was suddenly very aware of having crossed a line of intimacy between Debbie and Lou and herself. She didn’t regret it, but she wondered what would happen next, and she could feel a heady buzz of heat in her blood. Debbie turned to look at Tammy, dark brown eyes piercing into her like lasers in the overly-bright kitchen.

Tammy felt herself blush, but she didn’t drop her gaze. “Knew you needed a nudge, Deb,” Tammy said honestly.

Lou chuckled and smiled against Debbie’s cheek. “You’re a good kisser, Tim-Tam,” she said, looking at her with mirth and suggestion dancing in her eyes.

“Is she?” Debbie asked in a playful tone. Tammy felt her pulse race once more. It was only supposed to be a kiss, just something to snap Debbie out of her head, but now there was potential hanging between the three of them that Tammy wasn’t sure what to do with.

“She is,” Lou said. She kissed a line to Debbie’s ear, and Tammy watched her suck Debbie’s earlobe into her mouth. Tammy felt a tingling sensation spread through her as if Lou’s lips were on her skin, too. Debbie’s lips twitched, and Tammy wondered how she could keep her cool with Lou’s mouth on her neck. Debbie’s hand, which had slipped around Tammy’s waist as she drew close, traveled up and down her back. Debbie’s eyes searched Tammy’s face, familiar heat in her gaze. Tammy was used to her flirting, but this…Debbie tilted her head curiously, considering her, and Tammy knew what was going to happen before it did. Debbie leaned closer, breath against Tammy’s cheek and then meandering to her mouth. Tammy gave a shaky sigh and closed her eyes.

She could hear Lou’s mouth continuing its exploration of Debbie’s neck, could feel both of their hands on her back. Debbie’s lips brushed hers with more tenderness than Tammy could ever have imagined, and she responded in kind. Her head was spinning; she couldn’t believe this was really happening. She had never consciously _wanted _this to happen, but now that she was here, she found that she didn’t want it to stop. She pressed herself into them both, tightening her grip on Debbie’s waist as she caressed the back of Lou’s neck, which was still bent to bring her lips to the join between Debbie’s neck and shoulder. After what felt like a very long time in which the heat between them ebbed and flowed, Debbie broke the kiss and looked at Tammy. There was a familiar gleam of triumph in her gaze, and Tammy wondered for the first time whether Debbie’s flirting had carried something more _real _behind its playfulness.

“We should talk about this,” Lou said, lips still resting against Debbie’s skin. Debbie’s fingers found Tammy’s at the back of Lou’s neck, and Lou moaned into Debbie’s skin at the gentle caress of both of their hands.

“Baby, I think Tammy has made her intentions very clear,” Debbie murmured, turning her head so her lips brushed Lou’s temple. Tammy privately disagreed because as far as she was concerned, she was flying by the seat of her pants. 

“_Debbie_…” Tammy heard a note of caution in Lou’s voice.

Debbie rolled her eyes and took a very small step back from the embrace. “Fine,” she said. “You’re right. A deal’s a deal. We should talk about it.” Tammy didn’t know what “deal” Debbie was referring to, but she didn’t ask. Lou turned to Tammy and raised a hand to stroke her cheek.

“So, Tim-Tam,” Lou said. Tammy’s eyes latched onto Lou’s, and she tried not to drown in the blue depths of Lou’s gaze. “What do you want?”


	2. The Bed

It was always intoxicating for Debbie to watch someone other than herself experience the full power of Lou Miller’s attention. Even after six years by her side, Debbie wasn’t used to it herself, and it awoke something deep inside her whenever she watched Lou reel someone else into her circle, into _their _circle. Granted, her feelings on the matter probably had a lot to do with the fact that she knew that Lou would always come back to her arms over and over again, and the same could not be said for anyone else. In addition, Lou never turned her attention towards anyone else unless Debbie was involved, and that fact made Debbie’s insides clench with pleasure. Usually, the additional person was more or less a stranger – some girl in a bar that Lou or Debbie whisked away from handsy men, or a talented pair of extra hands they brought on board for a job. But Tammy had been on Debbie’s mind for a while, and Lou knew it, had teased Debbie about it on more than one occasion. The fact that Lou was finally turning her powerful gaze towards Tammy was enough to make Debbie swoon. _Fucking finally_, she thought to herself.

“I…” Tammy stammered. Debbie saw her swallow hard and glance between the two of them. Debbie bit her lip as Tammy looked at her. “I want you,” Tammy said after a moment in a stronger voice than Debbie had expected. “_Both_ of you. I didn’t know I did until just now, but…” She shrugged, lips twitching into a familiar, self-deprecating smile. “…it is what it is. I want you, if you’ll have me.” She continued to glance between Debbie and Lou.

Lou swiveled her head towards Debbie, though she didn’t step away from Tammy. “Debs?” Lou prompted.

Debbie smiled at her. “You know what I want, baby,” Debbie said. She was more than willing to have Lou take the lead in this situation. Lou searched her face for a second, and Debbie gave a tiny nod of encouragement. Tammy looked at Debbie in some surprise; she had clearly been expecting Debbie to take control. This was the risk Debbie took when they invited a third person into their partnership: Debbie literally made a living on her undisputed-leader persona. An intimate look into her relationship with Lou often created a paradigm shift for the third party, who never expected Debbie to loosen her hold on the reins even in the bedroom. Sometimes it was worth it, sometimes it didn’t matter much, and with Tammy, Debbie trusted her to understand the dynamic. She was brilliant, Debbie knew, and she understood both of them very well. Debbie smiled softly at Tammy and took a seat at the table. She watched Lou take a deep breath.

“Come sit down,” Lou said to Tammy.

“Okay,” Tammy agreed. She reclaimed her seat opposite Debbie and looked at her across the wads of cash piled on the table. Debbie could see a pink tinge on her cheeks that contrasted with the determined look in Tammy’s gaze. Lou didn’t sit. Instead, she leaned with her palms against the table, looking back and forth between the two of them.

“Get on with it, Lou,” Debbie said through a sigh of mock frustration.

Lou smirked at her. “Be patient, honey,” she said sweetly. She turned to Tammy. “So, you’re interested in both of us?” she asked. “Not one or the other, correct?”

“Yes,” Tammy said firmly. Debbie winked at her, and Tammy blushed a deeper shade of red.

“And you understand that this is a one-time thing?” Lou said carefully.

Tammy smiled a bit shyly, eyes twinkling. “I’m counting on it.”

Lou smiled at that. “If you want to stop, Debbie and I will both understand.” Debbie nodded her agreement to Lou’s words, and made sure Tammy watched her.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less of you,” said Tammy with a wink at Debbie. Debbie felt the color rise in her own cheeks. God, she was cute, and she was going to look even cuter with Lou’s head between her thighs. Debbie mentally shook herself, trying to be patient.

“Do you want a safe-word?” Lou asked.

Tammy considered her for a second. “No,” she said sincerely. “I trust you to stop if I ask you to.”

Lou nodded. “Fair enough. Debbie?” she asked, turning to her. “Anything to add?”

Debbie shook her head, already getting to her feet. “No, baby, I think you’ve covered everything.” She stepped close to Lou and laced their fingers together. Tammy watched them with interest. With the warm weight of Tammy’s gaze egging her on, Debbie leaned in and licked a stripe up the side of Lou’s neck. Lou’s fingers twitched in hers. She kept her mouth on Lou’s neck but let her eyes travel over to Tammy, who was still sitting at the table. Debbie raised her eyebrows at her and held out her free hand.

“Oh, are you calling the shots tonight, honey?” Lou muttered. She tugged Debbie close to her chest, and Debbie found herself wedged between Lou and the edge of the table. She felt suddenly hot, even in her form-fitting cocktail dress. She swallowed hard and tilted her chin to meet Lou’s gaze. She didn’t speak, didn’t even shake her head, but she knew Lou understood. “That’s what I thought,” Lou replied softly to the look in Debbie’s eyes.

Lou stroked Debbie’s hair back from her face and ran her hands down her back to settle at her hips. Debbie could still feel Tammy’s gaze upon them. In one smooth movement, Lou turned her around and pulled Debbie’s back flush against her chest. Debbie ground her hips back into Lou, and Lou chuckled in her ear just before her lips found the mark on Debbie’s neck she had made earlier. Lou’s mouth was warm against her skin, and Debbie relaxed into the sensation, watching Tammy through heavy-lidded eyes.

“Do you want her to fuck you?” Lou asked once she had released Debbie’s skin. The words shot from Debbie’s ear to her core like lightning.

“Yes,” the muttered, not taking her eyes from Tammy whose eyes widened slightly at her response.

“I thought so.” Lou placed a wet, open-mouthed kiss under Debbie’s ear and then reached out a hand towards Tammy. “You okay with that, Tim-Tam?” she asked.

Tammy nodded and got to her feet. “Bedroom?” she asked.

“I think so,” Lou replied conversationally.

Debbie wasn’t sure how the three of them made it to the bedroom. Her brain was on overload, which for her was _really _saying something. The master bedroom that she and Lou had been sharing had a beautiful view of the sea, and Debbie could hear the crashing of the waves through the open window. A cool breeze played across her flushed skin as Tammy and Lou moved over her. Lou’s hands were firm and experienced, eliciting shivers through Debbie’s body from spots she knew better than anyone. Tammy’s touch was light and steady. Tammy was behind her now, slowly lowering the zipper of Debbie’s dress to reveal cream-colored lingerie. Lou was in front of her, pressed close enough that Debbie thought she could feel her heartbeat. She kissed Debbie with tongue and teeth, charting her mouth as if it were the first time she had tasted her, as if she couldn’t get enough. Debbie gasped against Lou’s lips as Tammy’s hands wrapped around her chest and cupped her breasts, squeezing gently before twisting her nipples through the lace. Debbie heard herself whimper, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could support her own weight if they kept touching her like this.

“So sensitive,” Tammy mused, mouthing from Debbie’s ear down to the red mark Lou had made at the top of her shoulder.

“She always is,” Lou muttered in reply, pulling away from Debbie’s lips to find Tammy’s over Debbie’s shoulder. Hearing Lou say it like that awoke a vulnerable excitement in Debbie’s chest. Even as she kissed Tammy, Lou’s hands continued their careful exploration of Debbie’s body, and Tammy’s continued to knead Debbie’s breasts over the thin fabric of her bra. Debbie wrapped her arms around Lou’s neck, desperate to keep herself upright as Lou pushed her dress to the floor and scratched lightly up Debbie’s inner thighs. Debbie moaned and quivered. She spread her legs to give Lou space and felt her fingertips dance across the outside of her underwear, teasing until Debbie could feel herself soaking through the fabric.

“Are you wet, Deb?” Debbie hadn’t expected Tammy to ask, and her surprise at the words only increased her arousal.

“Y-yes,” she stammered. “Touch me.”

Tammy rested her forehead against Debbie’s upper back as one of her hands drifted down her ribs, over her stomach, and finally slid into wet heat. Debbie moaned and let her forehead drop to Lou’s shoulder at the feeling of Tammy’s fingers slipping through her arousal. A moment later, Lou’s hand joined Tammy’s, rubbing and caressing for a minute or so before trailing up Debbie’s torso. Lou brought her fingers to Debbie’s mouth and traced her lower lip, Debbie parted her lips and sucked her flavor from Lou’s fingers, tracing each digit with her tongue. Lou groaned quietly, a deep, rumbling sound that Debbie felt in her own chest. Debbie kissed her way to Lou’s mouth as Tammy hooked her fingers around Debbie’s thong and slid it to the floor. Her bra was next – unclasped by Tammy’s deft fingers, pulled off Debbie’s shoulders by Lou, and tossed aside. Debbie was suddenly very aware that she was completely naked between two people who were still fully clothed. Lou was right in front of her, kissing her, and Debbie needed to feel her skin against hers. Her fingers worked the buttons of Lou’s black button-down shirt until it fell open to reveal a black bra. Tammy’s hand met Debbie’s at Lou’s waistband, quickly undoing her black leather pants. Lou wasn’t usually one for all-black attire, but the job this evening had required discretion, and Debbie loved how she looked in it – shadowy and elegant and _tall_. In a somewhat impatient fumbling, Lou’s clothes joined the growing pile on the floor. Tammy’s fingers were still sliding between Debbie’s legs, gently enough to maintain a constant undercurrent of arousal in Debbie’s body. Debbie reached behind her with one hand and fumbled with Tammy’s cruise-line-issued dress pants.

“Off,” she mumbled, breaking her kiss with Lou and mustering the energy to turn in her arms. For a moment, her arousal tingled regretfully as Tammy’s fingers fell away, but then Lou’s hand slid down her backside and dipped between her legs. Debbie rubbed herself on Lou’s fingers once and then began working on undressing Tammy, somewhat surprised that she still had the mental capacity for buttons. Debbie’s mouth found Tammy’s once more as she slid the white button-down shirt from Tammy’s shoulders and reached around to unclasp her light blue bra. Looking down between their bodies, Debbie spread her palms over Tammy’s ribs and thumbed over her nipples, which rose under the touch. She glanced up at Tammy, and watched as Tammy bit her lip, eyes darkening at the sensation. With a smile, Debbie tugged her nipples. Tammy’s lips parted, and she pressed close to Debbie, bringing their mouths together hungrily once more. Lou’s free hand slipped around Debbie’s hip and reached for the button of Tammy’s pants. She undid it quickly, and Tammy pushed the fabric down her legs, taking her underwear with it. Debbie sighed at the feeling of Tammy’s naked body pressed against her front and Lou’s flush against her back. It was warm between the two of them, and Debbie let herself be supported by their arms as her knees wobbled.

“Let’s get you on the bed,” Lou murmured in Debbie’s ear.

“Mm hmm,” Debbie agreed. It was all she could manage through the haze of arousal. She felt the back of Lou’s knees hit the bed and before she could react, Lou was pulling her with her up the bed until Debbie was sitting between her legs with her head tilted back onto Lou’s shoulder, her legs spread wide by Lou’s, which had slid over her hips, and her hands clutching the sheets beneath them. Tammy kneeled between their legs and ran her hands up and down Debbie’s shins. Debbie could barely keep her eyes open, but she wanted to watch Tammy. She took a deep breath and let her arousal ebb just enough to clear her head. Lou’s fingers dipped between her legs once more, stroking and spreading her swollen skin. Out of the corner of her eye, Debbie could see Lou’s eyes fixed on Tammy.

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Lou asked Tammy. Debbie whimpered at the words and arched her back.

“Yes,” Tammy said, eyes falling between Debbie’s legs. She licked her lips. “I want to eat you out, Deb,” she said, eyes flicking up to Debbie’s face. “Is that okay?”

Debbie felt a rush of wetness against Lou’s fingers. She nodded frantically in answer to Tammy’s question. “Please,” she managed in a breathy voice that didn’t sound like hers.

“I’ll tell you what she likes,” Lou offered, moving her hand to the inside of Debbie’s thigh as Tammy positioned herself on her stomach. She wrapped her other arm around Debbie’s torso, holding her tightly.

Debbie relaxed into her embrace, letting Lou take her weight. Tammy’s breath was hot over her aroused skin, and the first flick of her tongue had Debbie digging her fingers into the mattress. Lou’s legs wrapped around hers prevented her from bucking her hips, and all she could do was surrender to the soft attention of Tammy’s mouth. She lifted one hand from the mattress and let it fall heavy onto Tammy’s head. She didn’t push her, didn’t tug, but the connection anchored her all the same.

“Start out light,” Lou said, lips moving against Debbie’s neck. “But not for too long. She’s already dripping.” Tammy alternated between firm licks along her length and feather-light flicks of her tongue, which nevertheless had Debbie moaning within minutes. Lou stroked her side soothingly.

“You taste good, Deb,” Tammy told her, looking up at her and then blowing cool air across her wetness. Debbie twitched at the sharp sensation. Tammy swiped her fingers over Debbie once and held them up to Lou, who seemed more than happy to suck every last drop of Debbie from Tammy’s skin. Debbie swooned at the sight. Lou released Tammy’s fingers with a pop, and Tammy turned her attention back to Debbie.

“Go harder, now,” Lou directed Tammy. Debbie felt relieved, could feel herself reaching the peak of her arousal. She needed _something. _

Tammy’s licks increased in frequency and intensity, circling and rubbing. Debbie could feel warmth coiling in her abdomen, tightening every time Tammy’s lips closed over her. Despite the fluttering of her eyelids, Debbie noticed her arousal shining on Tammy’s mouth and cheeks. She could hear herself whimpering in time with the rhythm of Tammy’s tongue.

“Do you want her inside you, Debs?” Lou asked in her ear. The question was followed by a gentle kiss to her neck.

Debbie nodded fervently. “Please,” she gasped, “I need—” She interrupted herself with a moan as Tammy circled her entrance with two fingers. “Fuck me,” she managed at last. Lou gave a nod to Tammy, and Tammy slid inside her, thrusting hard and curling her fingers. Debbie felt her muscles strain to arch off the bed, desperate for more friction, but Lou held her fast. “_Please_,” Debbie whimpered, whatever remaining shred of dignity she had was now forgotten, and she was floating in a sea of vulnerable ecstasy, outside her own head at last and completely connected to each minute tremor in her body.

“She’s close,” Lou told Tammy. Debbie moaned in agreement. “Suck her, Tim-Tam,” Lou advised. Tammy’s lips fastened over her once more, tongue flicking roughly and fingers buried deep. Debbie muffled a cry in Lou’s neck as her whole body went taut, and her grip tightened in Tammy’s perfectly-coiffed hair. Lou twisted her neck and found Debbie’s mouth with hers, kissing her through the aftershocks as Tammy gradually withdrew her fingers and kneeled between their legs once more.

Once her mind had settled back in her body, Debbie turned her head towards Tammy and reached for her. She entwined their fingers and pulled her into a deep kiss, tasting herself on Tammy’s tongue and delving further to chase the flavor. She could sense Lou watching them, could feel a damp patch forming on her lower back where Lou’s arousal pressed against her skin. It gave her a heady sense of power to know how much Lou _wanted_ her. When Debbie finally broke the kiss with Tammy, she turned to see that Lou’s eyes were glittering in the light of the single lamp on the dresser. Lou slid her arm from around Debbie’s waist and unhooked her legs from around Debbie’s.

Patting the bed next to her, Lou spoke in a low, intimate voice that Debbie knew was just for her. “Lie down, honey.” Debbie rolled out of Lou’s embrace and settled her head on the pillows, facing the center of the bed. Lou mirrored her movements, shifting to lie facing her and smoothing the bedspread between them. Debbie’s limbs felt heavy in the aftermath of her orgasm, but she could tell by the slight jerkiness of Lou’s movements that her arousal was wound tight as a spring. Debbie admired her patience. “Come here, Tim-Tam,” Lou said, catching Tammy’s eye. Tammy, who had still been kneeling in the center of the bed and watching them closely, positioned herself on her back between Debbie and Lou. Debbie immediately slid her hand into Tammy’s and passed her other hand up and down Tammy’s inner arm, watching goosebumps rise in the wake of her fingertips. Tammy gave a shaky sigh and closed her eyes as Lou pressed close to her on the other side.

“What do you want, Tim-Tam?” Debbie asked softly, echoing Lou’s words in the kitchen earlier. Tammy licked her lips and smiled, eyes still closed. “What do you like?”

“Touch me,” Tammy murmured. Debbie met Lou’s eyes across Tammy’s chest and saw a familiar glint in them. Debbie smiled contentedly and nodded to Lou to continue. Lou bent her head to Tammy’s neck, kissing her jaw and nibbling at her pulse point. Debbie watched, feeling blissful. Lou was meticulous, her attention to detail unrivaled. Debbie wondered at her patience and her precision as Tammy arched off the bed under the ministrations of Lou’s mouth on her neck and Debbie’s gentle tracing of her forearm.

“She’s good, isn’t she?” Debbie asked lazily.

“So good,” Tammy muttered breathily. Debbie noticed a light pink tinge on Lou’s cheekbones at the praise.

Lou’s hand began a slow journey down Tammy’s body, caressing her breasts and dancing over her ribs and stomach. Debbie repositioned herself to take Tammy’s right nipple in her mouth as Lou let her hand fall lower. Debbie alternated between flicking her tongue and sucking hard. Soon, Tammy’s hand found the back of her head, fingers threading into her hair to hold her in place. Debbie didn’t cease the rhythm of her lips and tongue, but she turned her head just enough to watch Lou’s fingers slide through Tammy’s pubic hair to find glistening skin. Debbie reached down and laid a warm palm on the inside of Tammy’s right thigh, encouraging her to spread her legs. Tammy was soft and pliant under her touch.

“Please, Lou,” Tammy whispered. Debbie turned her head to see Tammy’s face. Her eyes were still closed, eyelids fluttering, breaths coming in pants. Lou’s face was still buried in her neck, working a mark into her pulse point. Debbie could feel her fingers trembling against her scalp and didn’t need to look to know that Lou was teasing around her entrance, spreading Tammy’s wetness, perhaps dipping inside for brief, tantalizing moments.

“I think she’s ready, baby,” Debbie said to Lou.

Tammy nodded frantically, fingers stroking through Debbie’s hair gratefully. Lou hummed an agreement into Tammy’s neck, and Tammy’s mouth opened as Lou entered her, head tilting back into the pillows. She gave a whimpering moan. Debbie felt her body quiver with each thrust of Lou’s fingers. She slid her hand up Tammy’s thigh and wriggled her fingers under the heel of Lou’s hand to rub firmly over Tammy. Tammy moaned again. Debbie circled her pebbled nipple with her tongue, grazing over her with teeth every so often and matching the tempo of her fingertips between Tammy’s legs.

“’m close,” Tammy murmured, voice cracking.

“Come for us,” Lou told her. Debbie felt a thrill run through her, because that “_us” _meant her and Lou, and she didn’t know why, but that made her feel amazing. Lou licked down Tammy’s throat and took her neglected left nipple into her mouth. Debbie could see the muscles in Lou’s mouth working hard. Tammy cried out at the sudden sensation, and Debbie felt her twitch and pulse beneath her fingers. Lou stilled her movements but kept her fingers buried inside her as Tammy shook beneath them. Her eyes flicked over to Debbie. Their faces were inches apart on Tammy’s chest, and Debbie didn’t think twice before she released Tammy’s nipple and leaned in to kiss Lou fiercely. There was always a thrill in welcoming a third person into their bed, and Debbie felt triumphant that it was _Tammy _between them this time. But familiarity – the familiarity between her and Lou – that was something Debbie found equally thrilling. Lou’s lips were warm and soft, and Debbie could have lain there forever, her ear pressed against Tammy’s chest, her fingers pressed against hot arousal, her lips pressed against Lou’s. The scent of sex mingled with the ocean air and a breeze rippled through the room. Eventually, Debbie gasped against Lou’s mouth and then sighed, coming back to the present.

“It’s your turn now, baby,” she murmured.

Lou’s eyes were dark and heavy lidded. Tammy’s eyes were open and glazed with pleasure. Debbie gripped Lou’s wrist and pulled both their hands from between Tammy’s legs. She raised Lou’s fingers to her mouth and sucked them clean, moaning at the combined tastes of Tammy’s arousal and Lou’s skin. Debbie’s eyes traveled back and forth between the two of them as they watched her lick Lou’s fingers. At last, she released them and tugged Lou’s hand, encouraging her to interlock her legs with Tammy’s. At once, Lou ground herself on Tammy’s thigh, clearly desperate for her own release now that Debbie and Tammy had both found theirs. Tammy’s movements were languid and slow, but she bent her leg slightly all the same to increase the pressure against Lou’s arousal. Lou’s brow furrowed as she concentrated on the steady roll of her hips against Tammy’s skin. Debbie looked up at her. The lamp on the dresser cast shadows on Lou’s skin in all the right places. She might have been a carving but for the roll of her muscles and her eyes, which blinked slowly down at Debbie.

“You’re incredible, baby,” Debbie whispered. “Look at you.” She rolled onto her back and slid her left leg over Tammy’s hip with her knee bent and nudging Lou’s thigh. Lou’s left hand dropped to her leg, caressing gently.

“Debs…” Lou breathed. Her eyes locked onto Debbie’s.

“Yeah, baby?” Debbie replied. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Tammy’s gaze darting between the two of them, drinking them in as though they were the most fascinating sight in the world.

“Need you, honey,” Lou said, eyes still fixed on Debbie’s. There was a resonate, pleading note in her voice. “Need you inside me, please.”

Debbie smiled reassuringly at her and reached out her hand to stroked down Lou’s hip. It was a strange angle for Debbie’s wrist, but Lou was doing most of the work anyway. She sank onto Debbie’s fingers against Tammy’s thigh.

“Fuck…” Lou muttered, fingers tightening on Debbie’s knee beside her. She rode Debbie’s fingers with practiced skill. Tammy watched with wide eyes and her lips slightly parted. She seemed entranced, yet Debbie caught a deeper gleam in her eye, as if Tammy had finally understood something. Resting her head on Tammy’s shoulder, Debbie met Lou’s gaze once more.

“You’re so beautiful, baby,” she whispered, “so wet for me.” Tammy hummed an agreement beside her, and Debbie noticed the wetness glistening on Tammy’s thigh. “Come for me, baby,” Debbie said, speaking in a soft tone that she reserved only for Lou, that she had never known herself to use _before _Lou. Lou moaned and threw her head back, increasing the rhythm of her hips. Debbie felt her trembling, and then, all at once, her thighs tightened around Tammy’s leg. Debbie felt a rush of wetness around her fingers, and Lou collapsed forward, breathing heavily against Tammy’s chest. Tammy rubbed her back soothingly.

“That was really something,” Tammy whispered at last. Debbie couldn’t contain a laugh, and she heard Lou chuckle weakly against Tammy’s chest. Tammy grinned happily, finding Debbie’s hand and squeezing it tightly.

Lou stroked a hand over Tammy’s chest, tweaking her nipples. “We’ve got all night, Tim-Tam,” she said in a voice that was heavy with sex and cigarettes. “We’re just getting started.”

Much later, Debbie curled herself into Lou’s arms under the blankets and pulled Tammy towards her. They were back where they had started – Lou against Debbie’s back, Tammy pressed along her front. She could still feel the ghost of both their tongues between her legs, along her spine. She mouthed kisses against Tammy’s chest, and Lou’s tongue flicked under her ear. She felt sleep at the corners of her mind and closed her eyes. She listened to their heartbeats, listened to the soft rustle of the sheets, the warm slide of skin on skin. The waves on the beach crashed and ebbed in an unending rhythm, lulling Debbie into a deep, dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing Debbie's POV is always a treat. I hope this is what the people want! <3 :)


	3. The Wish

Debbie was warm against Lou’s chest. Her hair was messy, her make-up smudged. A few love bites blossomed on her neck and shoulders. Most of them matched the shape of Lou’s mouth; some of them matched Tammy’s. Lou had one arm draped around Debbie to cup her breast. Tammy’s lips nestled against Lou’s knuckles, and her hand was tangled in Debbie’s. It was peaceful, but Lou couldn’t sleep. She concentrated on the slow movement of Debbie’s rib cage as she breathed and on the soft curves of her slightly parted lips.

Tucking herself more securely around her, Lou heard Debbie hum contentedly in her sleep. Debbie always crashed hard after sex. It was something that Lou found so endearing that she had subconsciously started doing quite the opposite herself: staying awake to watch Debbie at her most peaceful. The success of a good job and the inclusion of Tammy in this most intimate of moments only served to warm Lou’s heart all the more. Sex with Debbie was never boring, and post-job sex was always thrilling. Watching Debbie willing to be vulnerable with someone other than Lou…well, Lou took a certain pride in that. Debbie – by her own admission – had never let anyone take control in the bedroom before she met Lou. A few months into their partnership – over six years ago now, Lou reflected – Debbie had returned home from a visit with Danny at the prison looking frantic. She had alternated between twitchiness and catatonics all through the afternoon, and Lou had watched her, wondering.

Eventually, Lou had asked her what was wrong. Debbie hadn’t answered. Instead, she had crossed the room to where Lou was sitting on their tattered couch, straddled her lap, and kissed her with such abandon that Lou was lightheaded by the time she pulled away. Debbie had guided Lou’s hands under her shirt, and Lou had guessed that Debbie wanted someone else to take the reins for a while. But it was only a guess, and Lou could remember her anxiety that she had read it wrong.

“I have an idea,” she had whispered. Debbie had made a hummed noise of interest as she sucked a mark into Lou’s neck. Lou had cleared her throat and spoken in a firmer voice than she had – up to that point – used with Debbie. “Do you want me to _fuck _you, Debbie?” she had asked.

Debbie had pulled herself out of Lou’s neck and stared at her with clear, dark eyes, still as a statue in Lou’s lap until… “Yes, baby,” she had said. “Please.”

An hour later, Debbie had come three times – on Lou’s fingers, on Lou’s strap, on Lou’s tongue. They had lain together in a sweaty tangle of limbs until Debbie curled herself into Lou’s arms with a kiss and a mumbled “thank you.” From that night on, their dynamic shifted. It wasn’t as though Lou was always in control – she wasn’t. Debbie still fucked Lou against doors and countertops, still made her moan sounds that Lou had never known herself to make. But at night, Debbie curled into Lou and allowed herself to be held. Not much had changed in the last six years, and Lou didn’t want it to. She liked holding onto Debbie, liked the feeling of Debbie’s warmth pressed against her chest, liked feeling like she _knew _her better than anyone else in the world.

Then there was Tammy. Lou found most people interesting in one way or another, but she genuinely _liked _Tammy. Moreover, Tammy knew Debbie almost as well as Lou did, had certainly known Debbie longer. Lou often found herself bemused and surprised at Debbie’s friendship with Tammy because it revealed a human side of Deborah Ocean that rarely made an appearance. Lou respected Tammy for that fact alone, and if Tammy was also beautiful and the best fence they had ever worked with, Lou wasn’t going to complain. Tammy was young – ten years younger than Debbie, which didn’t really matter anymore, though it _had _seemed strange when Lou had first been introduced to her. Debbie had talked Tammy up, described her as a veteran in the field, and then Tammy had walked in, and all Lou could see at first was a skinny twenty-four-year-old who could easily pass for under eighteen. Lou had soon discovered that Tammy made that work to her advantage, and the three of them had been close ever since. She was resourceful and cunning, and she was kind, and Lou had been not at all surprised when Debbie started mentioning getting Tammy into bed with them.

Lou blinked and realized that Tammy’s eyes were also open. She had mostly been looking at Debbie, watching tiny movements of her facial muscles as she slept. Tammy was watching Debbie, too, seemingly just as mesmerized as Lou. After a while, Tammy pressed her lips to Debbie’s knuckles and then looked up at Lou. She smiled softly, almost shyly, and Lou smiled back.

“Thank you,” Tammy mouthed at Lou.

Lou shook her head and tilted it ever so slightly towards the door. Tammy nodded and began slowly untangling her fingers from Debbie’s. Lou buried her face in Debbie’s hair, took a deep breath, and then slid from her warmth. She pulled on an over-sized sweater that was actually Debbie’s, and grabbed her cigarettes and lighter from the bedside table. Across the room, she watched Tammy pull another of Debbie’s shirts from a hanger and fling it around her shoulders. She didn’t bother to do up the buttons as she followed Lou out through the darkened living room to the porch that overlooked the sea. The moon shone high above them, casting dim shadows on the sand and shining on the waves. Lou lit a cigarette and then offered the box and lighter to Tammy, who accepted.

“You don’t need to thank me,” Lou said through an exhale of smoke.

Tammy shrugged and smirked. “I know.”

“Anyway, you started it.”

Tammy grinned and caught Lou’s sidelong glance. “Oh, I know I did.”

“Had you been planning that?” Lou asked. She leaned her back against the wooden railing that edged the patio and then pushed herself up to sit on it, legs dangling on either side.

Tammy chuckled and shook her head. She took a long drag on her cigarette and blew the smoke in Lou’s direction through pursed lips. “No,” she said finally, “but I think Debbie had been.”

Lou nodded thoughtfully. “She certainly _wanted _it.”

“With me?”

“With us.” Lou paused and looked out at the sea. Far out, she could see the lights of a few ships. It was quiet for a few minutes but for the crashing of the waves.

Finally, Tammy broke the silence. “I’m retiring,” she said. Lou turned to look at her.

“What?” she asked. Perhaps she hadn’t heard correctly.

“I’m getting out of the game, Lou,” Tammy said bluntly.

Lou let her gaze travel over Tammy’s face, taking in the certainty of her expression. She was beautiful in the moonlight, Lou observed, almost radiant. Tammy had chosen one of Debbie’s cream silk shirts, and the collar draped gracefully over her shoulders and between her breasts. Lou hadn’t really taken notice before, had been mostly wrapped up in Debbie for the past six years, even when they brought other people home. It had always been Debbie who had sought out their occasional additions. This time was different. Tammy had – more or less – initiated the evening’s events. Lou didn’t mind. It made the night special, which Tammy deserved.

“Lou?” Tammy prompted.

Lou realized she had been silent for many moments staring at Tammy. She cleared her throat. “You haven’t told Debbie yet, have you?”

Tammy grimaced and shook her head.

“She’s not going to be happy,” Lou cautioned.

“No,” Tammy agreed, “she’s not.” Lou nodded, glad that Tammy understood. She finished her cigarette slowly, watching Tammy smoke her own. Eventually, she held out her hand, and Tammy took it. Lou swung one leg back to the patio side of the fence and pulled Tammy close until she was standing between Lou’s legs. There was still a trace of heat between them, Lou noticed, and it felt right.

“She’ll miss you,” Lou muttered, tracing Tammy’s cheek with one long finger.

“I know,” Tammy said. She sighed. “She won’t understand.”

Lou gave a snort of laughter. “No, she won’t.”

“Do you?” Tammy asked, brown eyes darting to Lou’s and holding her gaze.

Lou looked at her, noticed the conflict behind her eyes. The jobs would always be a part of her, Lou knew, and she suspected that Tammy would never be able to leave the game entirely. Still, she respected her decision to take a step away. “Why are you doing it?” she asked at last.

Tammy furrowed her brow and chewed on her lip. “It’s complicated.”

Lou raised her eyebrows.

Tammy rolled her eyes. “I’m seeing someone,” she explained.

Lou pursed her lips and glanced away. “Does that matter?” she asked when she turned back to Tammy.

Tammy shrugged. “It’s not serious yet, but…” She trailed off.

“But?”

“But I really like him,” Tammy said firmly. “I can…imagine a future with him.” She looked hard at Lou as if there was something else she was trying to tell her, but Lou couldn’t place what it was. She decided to focus on Tammy’s actual words rather than on her cryptic implications.

“What does that look like?” Lou asked, settling her hands onto Tammy’s shoulders.

Tammy smiled. “Not sure yet.”

“Kids? A house in the suburbs?” Lou asked with a note of good-natured teasing in her voice.

Tammy shrugged again. “Yeah,” she said seriously, “maybe. I…”

Lou squeezed her shoulders. “I get it.”

“Do you?”

Lou grinned. “No, not really, but I do understand that it’s what you want. I’ll try to explain it to Debbie.”

“Thanks.” Tammy stepped closer to her and wrapped her arms around Lou’s neck, giving her a hard look. Lou returned her gaze, but she still couldn’t read what Tammy was trying to tell her. Lou let her own hands slide down Tammy’s sides and settle on her waist. She leaned forward and kissed her, feeling Tammy relax into the sensation.

“I’ll miss you, too, Tim-Tam,” Lou murmured against Tammy’s cheek as they broke apart.

Tammy gave her a shy smile. “You and Debbie are the only women I’ve ever wanted, you know that?” she said.

“I didn’t,” Lou told her, honestly. “But I’m honored. I take it you had a good time, then?”

Tammy nodded. “I did. You’re…” She sighed and blushed. “Do you know how hot you are?”

Lou shrugged, feeling pleased with herself. “Sometimes, I guess,” she said honestly.

Tammy laughed softly and ran her fingers through Lou’s hair. “And Deb…” she began, but then she shook her head as though words failed her.

Lou understood. Debbie’s vulnerability was a privilege to witness. “She’s incredible, isn’t she?” Lou said.

“Yes,” Tammy agreed, “there’s no one else like her. But you know that better than anyone.”

Lou wasn’t sure what that meant, though she didn’t disagree. “Maybe,” she replied.

Tammy tilted her head, a curious expression in her eyes.

“What?” Lou asked, nonplussed.

“Oh, nothing, just…” Tammy paused and seemed to choose her words carefully. “…just look after her, okay?”

“I always do,” Lou assured her.

“I know,” Tammy said. “I know.” She opened her mouth as if to say something else, but then closed it again with an almost imperceptible shake of her head. “It’s late,” she said. “We should sleep.”

Lou nodded and slid off the fencepost and into Tammy’s arms, holding her close for a moment in the moonlight. She listened to the waves crashing on the shore, and suddenly realized that she craved Debbie’s arms and the slow, rhythmic sounds of _her _Ocean’s heartbeat and breath. Lou took Tammy’s hand and tugged her towards the door. Tammy hesitated, however, and Lou shot her a questioning look.

“Aren’t you coming back to bed?” Lou asked.

“Yeah, of course,” Tammy assured her, stepping close once more and cupping Lou’s jaw with a gentle hand. “I would never miss a ‘morning after’ with either of you.”

Lou grinned at that. “Yeah, we owe each other at least two more orgasms a piece,” she joked.

Tammy rolled her eyes. “Glad you’re keeping track, but go on.” She gestured towards the house. “Go be with her,” she said. “You _need _to.”

“But you’ll come in soon?”

“Yeah,” Tammy replied, “I will.”

Lou kissed her cheek and squeezed her hand before quietly opening the patio door and sliding soundlessly back into the house. In the bedroom, Debbie was still asleep, lying on her back with her hair spread out over the pillows. The humid sea air meant that it never stayed straight for long, no matter what Debbie did to it. Lou found it endearing, loved tangling her fingers in the dark strands. Her skin was chilled from the night breeze off the sea, so she kept the sweater on as she slid under the blankets and nuzzled her face into Debbie’s shoulder. Debbie moaned softly in her sleep and rolled onto her side to face Lou, burying her nose in the wool of Lou’s sweater. One arm snaked lazily over Lou’s waist, and Lou felt Debbie’s fingers twist and tug to pull her close. Debbie’s bare legs rubbed against her own, and Lou relished her warmth, felt herself relax wholly into Debbie’s embrace. It scared Lou slightly to realize that she had never felt she belonged anywhere – not _really _– until she had met Debbie, until they forged their partnership. But there wasn’t another word for this.

“Lou…” Debbie’s whisper was muffled in the collar of Lou’s sweater.

“Mm hmm?”

Debbie tilted her head back just enough to meet Lou’s gaze in the near-darkness of the bedroom. “Don’t ever be that late again, okay?”

“Wha—_oh_, the job,” Lou said. She had forgotten how this had all started, how she had walked through the door twenty minutes after the agreed-upon time and seen real fear in Debbie’s gaze for the first time.

“Never again, okay?” Debbie said.

“Yeah, honey,” Lou said, tucking a lock of surprisingly curly hair behind Debbie’s ear. “I’m sorry, you know?”

“I know,” Debbie sighed, burying her face once more in Lou’s chest.

“It won’t happen again,” Lou told her, though she knew they were both aware that promises like that were never foolproof in their line of work. There was a poignancy to the words that Lou wasn’t ready to examine. She wrapped her arms tightly around Debbie and felt sleep rushing towards both of them. She hoped vaguely that Tammy would be back soon, wanted to wake up to both of their faces. Debbie twitched in her arms, and Lou recognized the night start and knew she was asleep. “Sweet dreams, honey,” she whispered into Debbie’s hair, even as her own eyelids became heavy.

Lou didn’t hear or feel Tammy slip back into the bed and tuck herself against Debbie’s back, but in the morning, she awoke to soft sounds and gentle movements next to her. She blinked her eyes open to see a sleepy, but focused, expression on Debbie’s face as she ground her hips back into Tammy’s. Meanwhile, Tammy was already hard at work on Debbie’s neck, nibbling and sucking as goosebumps rose under her lips. Lou couldn’t think of a better view to wake up to, and she was content to watch for many long moments, blinking slowly and feeling heavy arousal grow between her legs. At last, Debbie’s eyes flicked up to her own. She smiled and tilted her chin to kiss Lou softly. Lou obliged, pressing her lips to Debbie’s, movements sloppy with sleep.

Gradually, mirroring the deliberate teasing patterns of Tammy’s lips on Debbie’s skin and the tantalizing dance of Tammy’s hand over Debbie’s side, Lou slid her palm down Debbie’s sternum. Without warning, she tweaked Debbie’s left nipple, eliciting a gasp from Debbie and a hum of encouragement from Tammy. She slid her palm lower, pressing against Debbie’s stomach and then slowly rotating her hand until her fingers pointed to the apex of Debbie’s thighs. Debbie squirmed between Lou and Tammy.

“Don’t stop,” came a cracked whisper from Debbie’s lips.

“Don’t worry,” Lou said. She placed a brief kiss on Debbie’s lips and slid her hand into slick heat. “I won’t.”

Debbie groaned and whimpered as Lou rocked into her, spreading her wide with three fingers and then four. Tammy’s mouth worked ceaselessly, painting marks along the column of Debbie’s neck and whispering encouragement in her ear as Debbie strained between them. Lou kept her lips on Debbie’s, breathed against her. Tammy kept Debbie’s leg bent, giving Lou an ideal angle, and though they worked her slowly, it wasn’t long before Debbie shook between them as her arousal soaked Lou’s hand and the sheets beneath them.

Lou met Tammy’s eyes over Debbie’s shoulder and smiled at her a little sadly, remembering the previous night’s conversation on the patio. Debbie didn’t know yet that Tammy was leaving the criminal world, and Lou didn’t have the heart to tell her. She could tell that Tammy didn’t either quite yet – not first thing in the morning anyway. Debbie didn’t have many close relationships, and she tended to cling with an iron grip to those she trusted: Danny, Lou, Tammy, and a very short list of others. Lou sighed, eyes still searching Tammy’s pensive expression. “Later,” she mouthed soundlessly, and Tammy nodded.

Debbie stirred and opened her eyes. Her lips found Lou’s with desperate pressure. It took Lou by surprise, and she found herself on her back with Debbie on top of her and Tammy nestled against her side. Her skin tingled under Debbie’s mouth and fingers, and _oh_, she loved this, _lived _for this more than she cared to admit. Her rapidly hardening nipples rubbed against the rough fabric of the wool sweater she was still wearing from last night, and she used her own hand to knead her breast and take the edge off. As she did so, Debbie’s fingers closed around her wrist and pinned it to the mattress. Lou groaned and flailed once, realizing that Tammy had her other hand in a gentle grip. She turned to look at Tammy, who smiled and kissed her.

It had never been like this before, Lou reflected. Debbie never took control when there was an extra person involved, but Tammy was different, and Lou found that she didn’t mind this vulnerability with Tammy. She kissed Tammy more fiercely as Debbie settled between her legs at last. She swooned at the warmth of Debbie’s mouth on her, realizing just how aroused she already was.

“You’re wet for her, aren’t you?” Tammy asked against Lou’s mouth.

“Always,” Lou admitted breathlessly.

“As it should be.” Tammy kissed Lou again, and before Lou could start to work out what her words meant, Debbie’s fingers slid inside her just as her lips wrapped around her, and Lou lost track of everything but the electric sensations running through her blood. With one hand pinned to the mattress by Debbie and the other clasped in Tammy’s, Lou could do nothing but surrender. Emotion flooded her chest. She was going to miss Tammy. The past twelve hours had revealed her affection for her. Lou hadn’t ever had anyone she could call a best friend, but Tammy came pretty damn close. Meanwhile, Debbie was…was…What was she? Lou didn’t have words for those feelings, didn’t know how to explain it to herself let alone to Debbie. It excited her and scared her in equal measure, and all of it built in her body until it was too much. Lou felt tears in her eyes as her release crashed over her, mouth open in a strangled cry against Tammy’s cheek.

Debbie knelt on the bed and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. Lou was sure there wasn’t anything sexier than that in the whole world. She watched Debbie’s gaze fall on Tammy, saw a determined gleam in her eyes. Lou felt Tammy quiver as Debbie’s hands moved up her legs, but Lou needed Debbie _close_ now, and so she kissed Tammy briefly and then slid down the bed to join Debbie between Tammy’s legs. Tammy spread her legs wide and propped herself against the headboard, watching. Even as Lou turned to Debbie and kissed her, tasting herself on Debbie’s tongue, she could feel Tammy’s gaze. Something about the weight of it egged her on, reminded her to appreciate the woman in her arms. Perhaps that was what Tammy had been trying to tell her all evening. _Look after her, okay? _Tammy had said.

Debbie tugged Lou down with her towards Tammy beneath them, and Lou felt the two of them move in tandem over her, mirroring each other with an ease that only came from deep understanding. Lou swirled her tongue around Tammy’s left hipbone and glanced over to see Debbie doing the same on her right. She reached for Debbie’s hand, which lay heavy on Tammy’s abdomen, and intertwined their fingers. Tammy watched them, breathing heavily as they coaxed a duet of sensations through her blood. She was panting by the time Lou’s lips brushed Debbie’s once more, this time with the flavor of Tammy’s arousal on both their tongues. Lou closed her eyes, lost herself in the taste and heat of Tammy’s swollen skin and in the feel of Debbie’s mouth moving next to hers. She heard Debbie ask Tammy something, but Lou’s mind was blurry, and she trusted Debbie to stay in control. Debbie guided both of their hands to Tammy’s entrance, and Lou understood, slipped a finger inside her just as Debbie did the same. Tammy’s thighs quivered, and her fingers trembled as she settled a hand on each of their heads.

Lou didn’t want it to end. From moment to moment, she wasn’t sure if her mouth was kissing Debbie or pleasuring Tammy, and it didn’t seem to matter much because Tammy was whimpering above her and Debbie was warm beside her, and Lou felt that she could almost come like this. All too soon, Lou felt Tammy pulse around her, felt her muscles tauten and release. She opened her eyes to see Debbie’s gaze fixed upon her, warm and dark. Debbie brought her lips to Lou’s in a languid kiss as she slowed her strokes within Tammy and eventually pulled out. Lou followed suit, and Debbie kept kissing her and kissing her.

“_I can imagine a future with him_,” Tammy had said.

“_What does that look like?_” Lou had asked, and Tammy had looked at her with deep questions in her eyes. Even now, Lou didn’t fully understand what Tammy was asking, but it was something along the lines of: _And what about you? What does _your _future look like? _There was more to it than that, but Lou couldn’t probe deeper, not yet. Besides, she had an answer, and perhaps the rest would fall into place with time and patience. _Debbie_, Lou thought. _My future is Debbie_. And so, Lou kissed Debbie with her cheek resting against Tammy’s skin until her lips were sore.

Later, after Tammy had said good-bye and left with her cut, Lou held Debbie once more in the shallows of the crashing Atlantic waves. Debbie was quiet; Lou knew she didn’t understand Tammy’s retirement, that she didn’t want to talk about it. That was expected. Debbie leaned into Lou’s embrace and tilted her head towards the sky, eyes closed and tangled hair falling into the foam around them. The evening light cast long shadows before them on the surface of the shallow water. For the first time in her adult life, Lou allowed herself the fleeting wish that part of this would last forever. She let the desire fill her, and then she sighed, letting it float away. _Not now_, she thought_, but someday. Someday. _Lou clung to Debbie, and willed it to be true. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this got a bit melancholic, but if you're familiar with my Loubbie canon, you'll know that it all works out okay in the end! :) 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! <3 <3 <3

**Author's Note:**

> This has been on my mind for a while, and it fits into my personal headcanon. I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> <3 to go_get_your_top_hat for beta-ing <3
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are very much appreciated! Find me on tumblr @estel-of-irysi :)


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